Christmas Popcorn
Whether you’re getting ready to watch your favorite Christmas movies or looking for a festive popcorn mix to wrap up and give away, this Christmas popcorn is gingerbread popcorn that combines caramel popcorn with chocolate and molasses.
I have a big snacking problem.
It usually happens at night while I’m watching TV. Probably because we are trained to associate television and movies with popcorn.
I mean, all you have to do is walk past a movie theater and take a deep breath. I try not to buy junk food for home because I can easily inhale a whole bowl of salt and vinegar potato chips.
However, I do keep popcorn kernels on hand. I figured if I take the time and effort to make stovetop popcorn, then I earned my snack for the evening.
Being that it’s December and holiday movies are everywhere on streaming, I was in the mood for Christmas Popcorn.
It’s gingerbread popcorn with caramel and molasses drizzled with chocolate then tossed with red and green M&Ms and mini marshmallows.
If you see any gingerbread popcorn recipes that don’t call for molasses (and I have), it isn’t gingerbread (see: gingerbread cake). I once made a “gingerbread” dessert without molasses. Trust me – it’s just not the same.
This Christmas popcorn recipe is very similar to my Halloween popcorn but I used my caramel popcorn recipe as a starting point.
Not only does this Christmas caramel popcorn make a great snack to eat while watching Elf and Home Alone, you can wrap it up in holiday treat bags like I did with my chocolate covered popcorn and give away to family and friends.
Ingredients For Christmas Popcorn
Here’s what you need to make your Christmas caramel popcorn:
- Popcorn: You can pop your own or use microwave popcorn (preferably plain)
- Brown sugar: Used to make the caramel base
- Butter: Helps with the consistency of the caramel as well as adding butter flavor to your popcorn
- Corn syrup: Helps prevent crystallization when making the caramel
- Molasses: Use full-flavored molasses and not blackstrap as blackstrap is really bitter
- Ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and salt: Spices associated with gingerbread
- Baking soda: Used to soften the caramel popcorn coating so you’re not breaking teeth
- Vanilla: Balances all the sweetness
- Chocolate chips: For the chocolate drizzle
- Mini marshmallows: A little bit of softness to balance all the Christmas crunch
- M&Ms: I prefer peanut M&Ms because of the touch of saltiness, but you can use any red and green ones you’d like
How To Make Christmas Popcorn
Here’s how to make Christmas crunch popcorn:
- Melt the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, molasses, spices, and salt in a saucepan.
- Boil for 5 minutes without stirring, making sure it doesn’t bubble over.
- Stir in baking soda and vanilla then quickly pour over popcorn.
- Bake at 250F for 60-75 minutes or until the coating is dry. Cool completely.
- Drizzle melted chocolate over top then mix with mini marshmallows and M&Ms. Let the chocolate harden then break into small pieces.
Store in an airtight container for up 2 days (you can store longer but the mini marshmallows may get stale). Do not refrigerate.
Christmas Popcorn FAQ
You can make gingerbread popcorn 1 day ahead of time because it does take an hour to bake to “dry” the caramel-molasses coating.
You can either make homemade corn syrup or substitute maple syrup.
Yes, you can easily double for a party or as holiday gifts.
More Popcorn Recipes For You
Enjoyed this sweet and salty popcorn? Check out my other easy popcorn recipes:
Christmas Popcorn
Whether you’re getting ready to watch your favorite Christmas movies or looking for a festive popcorn mix to wrap up and give away, this Christmas popcorn is gingerbread popcorn that combines caramel popcorn with chocolate and molasses.
Ingredients
- 3 cups salted popcorn (learn how to make stovetop popcorn here)
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons or 2 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons full-flavor molasses (do not use blackstrap)
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
- 1/2 cup red and green M&Ms (peanut or plain)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper then add popcorn in a single layer.
- In a medium saucepan, add the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Once it hits boiling, cook without stirring for 3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla (it may foam a bit). Quickly pour over the popcorn and stir until evenly distributed, smoothing it back into a single layer.
- Bake 60-75 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, or until the coating is mainly dry (it's ok if it's a little sticky when stirring the final time). Cool completely.
- Melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 15-20 second increments then drizzle onto the popcorn.
- Immediately top with marshmallows and M&Ms, stirring to mix everything together. Smooth back into an even layer then let the chocolate harden completely. Break into pieces for serving.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Enjoyed this recipe? Check out my Halloween popcorn and chocolate covered popcorn.
- For more Christmas treats, check out my chocolate marshmallow fudge and chocolate pretzel bark.
Source: Adapted from Taste Of Home
First published December 17, 2014
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YES. We have watched both Elf and Home Alone this week! BUT, we were definitely missing this popcorn! Lovelovelovelove that gingerbread flavah! Pinned!
Sounds delicious Carla! I need a bowl of this with our annual Elf viewing!
I;m the same way about trying to resist movie theatre popcorn and not buying snack foods for home.
and love this gingerbread popcorn mix! SO yummy!
Gingerbread popcorn? What a festive idea! Totally in love with these and perfect for snacking while watching TV. :)
What a fun and gorgeous looking popcorn! M&M’s and marshmallows are my go to mix ins for popcorn too :-)
Christmas movies won’t be complete without this snack mix!